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FM
Former Member

 

  • I will only give jobs to PNC people’ – Min. Lawrencethanks 

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    Any worthy political party will always provide solidarity and support for any citizen, supporter or not, when that citizensuffers a tragedy. This becomes, not a choice, not an option, but an obligation and duty when that political party is in control of the government. The title of government confers a responsibility to work for and to support every citizen, whether that citizen voted for your party or not.

    A popular business place, a bar, was heavily damaged by a firetwo nights ago. Everyone that suffers a loss, whether because of fire, flood, robbery or any other means of destruction, deserves our solidarity and support. Even though the particular business was a bar, some called it a rum shop, the owner or owners deserve our sympathy and any support we could provide. It is in this context, we must commend Ms. Volda Lawrence, the Chairman of the People’s National Congress (PNC) and a leading member of the APNU+AFC coalition, for showing up with a sizable check to help the owner of the Guinness Bar in Georgetown to rebuild. Political parties and their leaders must be quick and ready to lend support to a citizen.

    Admittedly, it is a little jarring seeing the former Minister of Public Health, who just recently appeared at an event promoting healthy lifestyles, including the message for people to not smoke and not abuse alcohol, proudly trying to ensure a bar survives. But was it not just recently that David Granger chastised young people for imbibing in alcohol at the Guinness Bar and other bars? These mixed-messages do not help. I suppose Ms Lawrence forgot that message, as she seeks political support among young people who regularly visit that bar. APNU, AFC, the PNC are clueless, always giving out mixed-messages, blinded by political opportunism. Even more jarring, however, is that this commendable support for a citizen comes amidst major trauma being suffered by other citizens who have been totally abandoned, not even recognized.

    Just a few days ago, on the night of Diwali, four families, including pensioners, became homeless on the East Bank Demerara because a fire destroyed their homes. They were not business owners, they were poor people. In fact, at least, two of the families were single-parent families. Last week, a poor family with seven children lost their home because of a fire on the Corentyne. These are just the most recent fire victims. In fact, this year alone, dozens of families across Guyana lost their homes because of fire. Some of these people were consoled by family and friends, by neighbors and, sometimes, NGOs showed up with some help. For many of those victims, it was encouraging to see political activists and leaders from the Opposition PPP visiting and offering support.

    When these poor people are affected, one common thread is the government is missing in action (MIA). For this reason I often dub this government an “MIA government”. Watching Ms. Lawrence proudly presenting a check to a businessman in Georgetown forced me to ask where was Ms. Lawrence, the PNC, APNU and AFC when these other poor people suffered because of fire? Was it these people are seen to be PPPsupporters? It was not wrong to provide support for the Guinness Bar, but it highlights the far too numerous times that citizens have been abandoned by their government. No one asked that the PNC finds money to help these poor people, but the government’s resources must be utilized to help any citizenin need.

    Even as Ms. Lawrence posed for a photo-opportunity at the Guinness Bar to show she and the PNC care, there are hundreds of residents and farmers in Region 5 who continue to suffer from devastating floods resulting largely from the negligence of the government. The floods of this week are only the latest floods that have battered these poor people, causing damage to their residential properties, farms, with significant losses of crops, including rice and cash crops, and livestock. These floods also caused loss of farmlands since much of the arable land used for agriculture in the area cannot be cultivated for, at least, two years. People’s livelihoods have been affected. They need help. Yet, not a single government official has shown up in the past and in this most recent flooding episode. In fact, one of the senior PNC activists and officials in the area deny these floods are real. While the General Secretary and the PPP Presidential Candidate are constantly on the ground offering support and demanding the government takes responsibility, the Government is MIA. Neither Ms. Lawrence nor her leader, David Granger even acknowledges that these people are suffering.

    But Ms. Lawrence in the recent past did confess their posture in governance is that the PNC (APNU+AFC) is in government, not for ALL GUYANESE, but only for “PNC people. She had confessed her only “friends”, her only “people”, are PNC people. Only “her” people, meaning PNC people will get their attention. Here is another example of Ms. Lawrence and the PNC demonstrating how it works. We must be happy the owner of Guinness Bar got help. We must condemn Ms. Lawrence, the PNC and APNU+AFC for not recognizing the sufferings of other people, simply because they might be PPP people.

    Dr. Leslie RamsammyNj

 

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Fire victims upset after PNCR gives check to Guinness Bar – no sympathy for them


Watching your entire life burn up in flames right before your eyes can be a horrific and traumatizing ordeal for any one person.

Chairman of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Volda Lawrence makes a donation to the Guinness Bar and Restaurant owner, Troy Mendonca. (Guyana Chronicle photo)

Omadai Persaud and her relatives after the fire

That same trauma was shared by a family of Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara who on Diwali night stood by helplessly as the place they called home for years was ravaged by fire.
Also on the next night, the proprietor of popular liming spot “The Guinness Bar” stood and watched as his business was destroyed right before his eyes.
Government officials over the years have lent their support to those persons who attempt to rebuild and start a brand new life again.
It was expected that the same would have been done to bring aid to the families displaced by the fires.
But in a shocking twist, only one of these two victims received support. That was the Guinness Bar.
Citizens were outraged when the Guyana Chronicle on October 31, 2019, published the article with the headline “PNCR makes donation to help rebuild Guinness Bar”,
The article brandished a photograph of Chairman of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Volda Lawrence, presenting a cheque to the owner of the business, Troy Mendonca.
In the article, it stated that “Minister Lawrence made a tangible donation to the owner of D’Urban Street Guinness Bar and Restaurant”.
The reason behind this move, Minister Lawrence said was because “that over the years and through his business, Mendonca has contributed to the Lodge community”.
This move, did not sit well with one of the Peter’s Hall fire victims; a family consisting of two elderly women- one bedridden.
The son of fire victim, Omadai Persaud, expressed his disappointment in the PNCR for such a move.
Another relative, Anand Persaud, disclosed to Kaieteur News that his mother and aunt would have been out on the streets if it was not for the kindness of relatives.
According to him, instead of trying to help the families who need it, the PNCR opted to lend a hand to rebuild a bar, often considered a nuisance to the residents who live nearby.
“Guinness Bar is a lawless and wotless place…so many complains come from that place, it is basically a nuisance so how could they give them money? I’m sure the owner has insurance.”
Persaud said that his family received no assistance, not even an “ounce of sympathy” from any government official.
“Nobody visited, nothing, poor people need the help but government didn’t come out, no sympathy but yet a bar gets money.”
“Minister Lawrence, she ain’t care about people, only her people. So many people upset about this, it affected my family, we have a community with mixed people, from every background and they can’t believe that this happened.”
The upset man relayed that he voted for change but lamented that he will not make the same mistake again.
“I voted for them, I have a picture in my phone with my ballot paper to show I vote for them, but never again, never again. That just turned me off. Them nah help poor people but them ah help build back bar instead”.
Diwali celebrations turned sour for Omadai Persaud who was at home conversing with relatives outside at around 20:00 hrs when a loud explosion was heard. A fire then erupted and spread to the nearby home that housed medical students who were not at home at the time.
It was suspected that the fire was started by a sparking meter behind the house but it was later revealed by Fire Chief Marlon Gentle that a lit diya placed inside the home caused the fire.
Investigations at Guinness Bar revealed that a faulty freezer inside of the bar caused the blaze. It is unclear whether the business was insured or

FM
Dave posted:

Fire victims upset after PNCR gives check to Guinness Bar – no sympathy for them


Watching your entire life burn up in flames right before your eyes can be a horrific and traumatizing ordeal for any one person.

Chairman of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Volda Lawrence makes a donation to the Guinness Bar and Restaurant owner, Troy Mendonca. (Guyana Chronicle photo)

Omadai Persaud and her relatives after the fire

 

Man shall not live by bread alone, we must also have party and drinks!

FM
Baseman posted:
Dave posted:

Fire victims upset after PNCR gives check to Guinness Bar – no sympathy for them


Watching your entire life burn up in flames right before your eyes can be a horrific and traumatizing ordeal for any one person.

Chairman of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Volda Lawrence makes a donation to the Guinness Bar and Restaurant owner, Troy Mendonca. (Guyana Chronicle photo)

Omadai Persaud and her relatives after the fire

 

Man shall not live by bread alone, we must also have party and drinks!

Also, where the PNC is concerned, man shall never live by roti. 

FM

It is quite evident that the PNC has and will always be a racist and violent party with zero regard for the constitution. They gave us three dictators and riggers. 

FM
Last edited by Former Member

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